It appears Arsenal will have to look elsewhere for additional talent up front after Alvaro Morata made clear his intentions to stay at Real Madrid.

The talented 21-year-old said, via Hannah Duncan of Metro, that he is “happy” with life under Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.

Morata added:

I feel that the boss really trusts me, so does [Ancelotti's assistant Zinedine] Zidane, all of the coaching staff and the club.

I am 21-years-old, I am happy at Real Madrid and I want to be here for a long time. A player always wants to play and the manager has shown that he trusts in me. He has played me in a lot of difficult matches and I am very happy. I have to repay his trust in me.

But Morata now feels there is no need to leave the Santiago Bernabeu after enjoying some playing time this season. The forward has made 10 La Liga appearances for Los Blancos this term, scoring twice—per ESPN FC.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Despite an abundance of talent in midfield, the Premier League leaders are cut thin up front, and they will be actively seeking a striker in January.

At the moment, Nicklas Bendtner, who this week scored his first goal in three years for the club, is the only back-up to Olivier Giroud.

1,005 - It is 1,005 days since Nicklas Bendtner last started a Premier League match for Arsenal. Return.